Bear, page 23
She swatted his hand away as he laughed. “You’re not funny.”
He sat up, coming face to face with her. “C’mon, it was a little funny. Did I lick the red off your candy?” he teased.
She gasped, really offended now. “Are you making fun of my southern sayings?”
“I would never dream of it, babe.” She watched as the humor fled from his gaze and grew into something deeper. “I want to do this right. We’re going to go out on dates and make out on the couch and talk about our fears, our pasts, and our future together.”
“Oh, we are?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
She eased out of the bed. Teddy placed his hand on her hip to help balance her until she got to her feet, and then she headed to her closet. For such a sweet, sweet man, he sure was hardheaded sometimes. “You’re still bad at asking questions.” She opened the door and froze. “What the hell is this?” she whispered heatedly.
“My things.”
She walked into her small walk-in closet and thumbed through the hangers. It was crammed with his clothes, shoes…all kinds of stuff. Seriously, it was stuffed to the gills! Jeez. “There’s way more in here than there was a few days ago.”
“I had to unload the camper before storing it.”
“And you didn’t think to take your stuff home?” she asked, knowing dang well he was up to something. She stomped back out, ready to give him a piece of her mind, but the sight that greeted her robbed her of her brewing argument.
Teddy, shirtless, jeans still unbuttoned, bent down on one knee, holding a little velvet box.
“You’re right. I’m awful with questions. I don’t need anybody else’s approval in this life, but just the possibility of your rejection shatters me, Roxie. So, we are going to live together. I’m going to take you on date nights. I am going to spend the rest of my life with you, but…” He swallowed as he opened the box. “I will ask you one question.”
“Teddy,” she breathed, covering her mouth with her trembling hand.
“Roxanne Willis, I have loved you for a long time, and I grow more in love with you each and every day. You and Chad are already my family, my life. I want to give you everything you need, everything you want, starting with the fairytale. Will you marry me?”
Her eyes burned with tears, her throat with emotion, but she forced out a broken, “Yes.” Teddy was off the floor and had her in his arms before she could say it again more clearly.
“God, I love you so much, babe.”
“I love you, too.” And she did. So much. She’d started falling in love with Teddy the day her son had run into him in that parking lot all those years ago. Their romance hadn’t been easy. It’d been fraught with obstacles at every turn, incredible highs and crashing lows. It was an unconventional love they’d had to fight for every step of the way, but it was real. This was their story. Their fairytale.
They damn well deserved their happily ever after, and that? Well, that made her happier than a pig in a wallow.
Epilogue
Xan - Four Years later
Xan shoved her blond locks into a messy bun. No matter how long she lived in the south, she’d never get used to this dang summer heat. She wiped her hands on her apron as she made her way back to the kitchen. The weather was something she’d never adapt to, but this chef’s dream? Oh, yeah, this was another story.
After Gauge and Viola had bought a piece of land out by Roc’s to build a house, Brody and Xan had decided to build their dream home. It was nothing fancy…except the kitchen…but Brody had wanted another baby, and Xan had wanted more room if that was going to happen. The extra security also seemed like a good idea after Roxie’s baby daddy had gone all Unabomber on the shop four years ago. Once the new headquarters had been complete, some of the others hired the same crew to build new family fortresses as well. Unfortunately for Roc, every new compound either bordered his property or was across the street from him. His quiet oasis was private no more.
“Lawd, it’s hot,” Roxie said, leaning back into the open fridge.
“You’re lettin’ all the bought air out,” Xan said, swatting her friend on the hip as she walked by.
“No, I’m not. I’m just getting the coleslaw.” Roxie winked as she turned and grabbed the bowl with one hand while she massaged her lower back with the other. “Good gravy, I’m sweating like a whore in church.”
Xan snorted and looked pointedly at Roxie’s tummy. “With good reason.”
Roxie moaned. “You’re pregnant, too. Why are you glowing while I’m over here melting like the Wicked Witch, huh? It ain’t fair.”
“Well, first of all, I have more practice at being pregnant, and second, I’m nowhere near as far along as you are.”
“I’m about to pop.”
“That’s what happens when you go past your delivery date.”
Poor Roxie. She’d had a miserable time of it. Morning sickness out the wazoo, gestational diabetes, and more recently, high blood pressure. She’d already threatened to ground the baby as soon as she arrived, to which Bear would mutter below his breath that she was just as stubborn as her mother. Of course, he knew better than to voice such blasphemy where his wife could hear. At least Chad came home to visit as much as he could. That alone probably helped Roxie’s—and by extension, Bear’s—sanity.
“We are not eating outside,” Roxie declared. “If we put this food on the picnic tables, it’ll spoil before it gets in our bellies.”
“Go sit down. Your husband will blame me if he sees you on your feet,” Xan said, pulling out the potato salad. When Roxie didn’t argue, Xan knew the woman was exhausted. She opened the window and yelled, “Heather, we’re moving everything into the kitchen.”
“Got it!”
“Momma, momma, bubba’s here!” Xander said, running into the room and around the island as if he were an airplane. Xan bent down and ruffled his sweaty, blond mop before he ran back into the living room.
Roxie perked up and looked at the doorway, knowing that if Scott was here, then so was Chad.
The boys were still thick as thieves, but they’d gone through a rough patch after Roxie’s baby daddy had kidnapped them. Besides Scott thinking Chad could so easily shoot him, it’d really hit home for both of them just how different their lives could’ve been. Instead of best friends, they could’ve been enemies. If the wrong organized crime syndicate got wind of their connections, things could get really hairy, even now, but the Bang Shift had safeguards in place to keep that from happening. Hopefully.
Both Chad and Scott made the Bears team, and everybody had been so excited for them. Each home game, the entire gang got together at the stadium to watch them play football, and during playoffs, either Xan or Roxie hosted a party. Roxie had put on the party for the last game of their college careers, which was why Xan had been in charge of the graduation celebration today.
And, yes, another benefit of the boys making the team was that it’d saved both families some serious money on their educations. What had shocked the hell out of Xan was Luc’s offer to pay Scott’s way. The new mafia don had informed her there’d been a college fund set up for his new wife, and that she would not be attending school…whatever the hell that meant. Xan had met the Italian beauty at Scott’s high school graduation the night Luc had made that offer, and the woman had made no bones about staring daggers at him…and at Heather. The only reason Roc didn’t rip into him about it was because he hadn’t seen the assessing glares, being too busy watching Luc like a hawk.
When Xan had tried politely to refuse Luc’s offer, the man had insisted, saying Scott’s paternal family had set it up, and that it should go to someone in the bloodline. That made her want it even less, but Roxie had reminded her about Chad’s refusal to accept money from his father’s estate and hoped her friend would help by setting a good example.
Meanwhile, Roxie had been sweating how she would afford Chad’s tuition if he didn’t get the football scholarship, even after Thad had left her son all that money. Xan had been ready to share the Collins’ fund with her, but it’d been a non-issue in the end.
For two years, Chad had stuck to his word and not touched that money, either. It hadn’t been until he and Bear had finished repairing the Camaro, which had been damaged during the rescue when his stance had finally shifted. Chad had enjoyed helping Bear work on that hotrod so much he’d wanted to find another one just like Bear’s to restore for himself. If Roxie had been touched by what had finally freed Chad to tap into the funds, then she was downright gleeful money originating from his biological father had been used to spend time with his pop.
That’s what Chad called Bear now. Pop. It’d started not long after Bear had beaten Thad to death in the woods out by the creek. Whenever Chad had relayed the story, he’d said, “Bear popped him good.” Bear had declared himself The Pop Master, and Chad had countered with The Jalapeño Popper, which Blade had thought hilarious, agreeing Bear was cheesy. Over time, though, the banter had turned into something more meaningful, and the name just sorta stuck.
“Good idea. It’s really getting hot out there,” Heather said as she and Maya brought the snacks and condiments back into the kitchen and put them on the bar.
“Sorry we’re late,” Anna said, rushing in with a dessert in one arm and Brenna in the other. “Blade’s outside with the guys.”
Xan waved her off and playfully pinched her nineteen-month-old daughter’s cheeks. “You want a Popsicle, sweetie?”
Her big eyes lit up. “Tickle? Momma, tickle?” She wiggled in her mama’s arm, and Anna put the little cutie on her feet.
“I got it,” Xander said, running back into the kitchen, arms spread wide as if he was coming in for a landing.
“Xander, no more for you, bud,” Xan said. “He’s had at least three,” she whispered. Little Brenna—named after Blade’s late sister—ran after Xander like she always did. Xan worried about the day when her boy might get tired of playing with a younger girl. She knew if that happened, Blade would have his hands full with his daughter’s little broken heart. Brenna thought Xander glittered the sky with stars just for her. For real. Brenna had told Anna that one night at bedtime.
Scott came into the kitchen and scooped Xander up into his arms just as he was about to zoom by his brother. Brenna squealed, jumping for Xander.
“Where’re you going?” Scott asked.
“Mom said we can have Popsicles!” Scott flipped him over and set him back on his feet. The little guy zipped on by, leaving Brenna in his dust.
“That’s not—crap,” Xan said.
“Hey, mom.” Scott gave her a hug.
“Where’s Chad?” Roxie asked, rubbing her huge belly.
“Bear stopped him in the yard, asking him something about moving a dresser into the nursery.”
“Can you help Xander with the freezer?” Xan asked him as she turned to get the buns out of the cabinet, partially to make sure Xander didn’t scarf another treat down, but also to distract Roxie from what Scott had said.
It didn’t work. Roxie huffed. “I told him he didn’t have to move it. It’s fine where it is. I mean, no, it’s not centered between the window and the closet like I wanted, but there’s no reason to go moving all the dad-burned furniture around now.”
Xan bit her lip to keep from laughing at Scott’s widening eyes. He should be used to how she spoke her mind by now. If he needed a reminder, he’d gotten a front-row seat to Roxie’s bridezilla moments when she and Bear had married. That man had put up with her overanalyzing all kinds of wedding options clear until Axle and Caitlin had tied the knot in a small, country church. Then, Bear had secretly planned a wedding and surprised Roxie with it, telling her he’d already asked her to marry him, and he was done asking her shit. His words. Roxie had given him hell all the way through the I dos.
And then the weddings kept on coming.
Not even three months later, Mason and Shelby had flown everyone to an Italian Villa to exchange vows. Both Roc and Hunter had secretly proposed to Heather and Maya on that trip, which everyone else found hilarious. There had been lots of jokes about the four getting married in a joint ceremony. The girls had actually entertained the idea, but ultimately decided against it. To say that Roc and Hunter had been relieved would’ve been a huge understatement. Though the girls had made them wait until they’d finished their degrees.
In all situations, the dream weddings brought up at Blade and Anna’s reception had been how each couple had married. The only couple that hadn’t tied the knot yet was Gauge and Viola. After she’d been adamant about not ever marrying again, she’d surprised him with a proposal just a few months ago.
“Girl, did you give Xander another snack?” Shelby asked, holding her son, Lincoln, on one hip and her nephew, Aston, on the other. For all the fun sibling rivalry between Shelby and Axle, they’d both agreed to carry on the family tradition of car-related names for their kids.
Xan groaned.
“He’s gonna be up all night,” Roxie singsonged.
“Hey, mom,” Chad said, coming into the kitchen with Bear right behind him.
Roxie smiled and spread her arms out wide. “Don’t listen to your pop,” she said as she hugged her son. “You don’t have to move Genevieve’s dresser.”
Chad glanced at Bear who mouthed, We’re moving it.
Brody came into the kitchen, carrying a big tray of burgers and chicken breasts. “Get it while it’s hot.”
In a flurry of activity, plates and forks were passed around as everyone helped themselves, chatting, laughing—just enjoying being with each other.
Roxie gasped. “Oh my lands, I’m either peeing my pants or my water just broke.” She grabbed the side of the island, and everyone froze.
Bear was the first to react. “Son, get the car.” He tossed his keys to Chad and rushed to Roxie from where he’d been making her plate so she wouldn’t have to get up. He gently wrapped his arm around her back. “I got you, little momma.”
She took a step and stopped. “Eeek, it’s like a cow peeing on a flat rock down there.”
“Are you a cow, Aunt Roxie?” Xander asked.
“No,” several people said quickly in unison, startling Brenna. Her eyes welled, but Xander was quick to hug her.
Roxie winced as she made her way through the room with Bear whispering words of reassurance that she wasn’t as big as a cow.
“Message us when it’s time to push,” Roc said, taking a bite of his burger.
Roxie stopped at the door and looked over her shoulder, frowning at him first before glancing at everyone else. “Oh, hell no. If I can’t eat none of y’all can. I’ve labored for two weeks. She’s coming now, so get the lead out.” She turned and continued on her trek to the car.
Arguing with a pregnant woman? Bad idea. Arguing with a pregnant Roxie? That was a death wish. Just as quickly as plates and food had been passed around, Caitlin, Shelby, and Anna began wrapping it up or tossing it back into the fridge. The men weren’t giving up their grub, though, shoving burgers and chips down their throats as they made their way out to their rides. The only ones not going were Anna, Shelby, and Caitlin. Anna had agreed to watch Xander, so Brody and Xan could be at the hospital. The other two were still breastfeeding and would probably hang out at the house until they got word the baby had been born.
With as many years as Xan had worked as a nurse, she knew one thing for certain. No matter what Roxie thought, she had hours to go before that baby came. She also knew her best friend inside and out and figured the apple wouldn’t fall far from the tree. Like Bear had said, that baby would be stubborn just like her momma.
Xan smothered her little boy with kisses before following Brody outside. He held the passenger car door open for her, and he eased in, rubbing her barely-there baby bump.
“I don’t want you overdoing it, babe,” Brody said as he backed the car out. “You’re carrying one of the next generation of Bang Shift Mercenaries.”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the smile that formed.
Never in a million years had she envisioned her life would be what it was today. Sometimes, it was so hard to believe that when her car had broken down outside of this southern town that she and Scott would finally get to put down roots. They’d been embraced by the small-town community, but more importantly, they’d been welcomed into a brotherhood of mercenaries who fought hard and loved even harder.
For a girl who’d been raised in foster care and married off to a cold, vicious man in the mafia, it truly amazed her that she now had the one thing that had always been missing from her life.
She had a home.
Want more Bear and Roxie? Download the hilarious (and spicy) bonus scene when this sassy southerner finds out she’s pregnant!
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Acknowledgments
Oh my gosh, y’all.
I can’t believe this series is over. Like life, these characters took me down roads I never expected, twisting and turning as I rode along, enjoying the journey without focusing on the destination. Now that we’ve reached the end, releasing this last book is both exhilarating and bittersweet, and I couldn’t have gotten here without the help of some awesome people.
My husband, Aaron, never complains when I have my nose stuck in my laptop writing, taking a seminar, or doing other authorly things. He not only understands how important this is to me, but also encourages me to live this dream. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful I get to spend my life with him.
Parker Kincade, my writing partner-in-crime, has always been there for me whenever I need her. She’s been a rock as I stressed, a sounding board for ideas, motivation when I lacked it, and a sanctuary whenever I needed it. She is more than just a friend, and there is no doubt in my mind I would’ve stopped a couple of times if not for her.
Najla Qamber took the vision I had for this series and expertly designed these amazing covers. After years of being told what I wanted from other artists wasn’t feasible, she stepped up to the plate and knocked it out of the park. I literally gasped when I opened the first one I commissioned from her, and she continues to exceed my expectations every time.
